Floating Tailgate on an ETA Box Blade!! First Look!!

[EverythingAttachments]

How about a solid bar that will slide in behind it? It will also add strength to the hinged section. Maybe use the same 1-1/4" that you use for the hinge? I know it would be heavy, but it would sure be strong. Use hitch pins to hold it in place, or maybe some kinf of "drop-in" type brackets. Make sure you include brackets to store it while not in use.

Thanks for the input Mike.
That's one idea we've talked about. It needs to be in a location so that it does not affect the way the dirt is rolls, should be attached in a very secure way that will not wear on the tailgate or the boxblade frame, AND the tolerance of the attachment points should not be so precise that you wouldn't be able to install the bar if the tailgate were slightly bent or bowed over time(if that makes any sense).

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Travis, a couple of questions if you don't mind.
Why no moldboard on the rear?

If you are going to use the same design for the retractable ripper optioned box, aren't those braces going to be in the way? Isn't material going to clog up around those braces? I would think that it would, I sometimes have that problem and I have no braces or gussets on any of my Gannons.

Just curious is all. :confused3:

 

[davrow]

Why no moldboard on the rear? ...aren't those braces going to be in the way? Isn't material going to clog up around those braces?

Brian, the moldboard may have been left off just because it is a CAD drawing, not an actual product yet.

You generally seem pretty impressed by the A&B offerings. Their scraper with moldboard has the same braces and gussets.

940 lbs for 6' just for comparison later.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Brian, the moldboard may have been left off just because it is a CAD drawing, not an actual product yet.

You generally seem pretty impressed by the A&B offerings. Their scraper with moldboard has the same braces and gussets.

940 lbs for 6' just for comparison later.

OK, I guess that is an explanation as to why it is not there.

Actually Dave, I recommend A&B solely because they currently make the best ROBB available, not the best ROBB, just the best one built today. I don't care for the braces that they use in the ROBB either, but when that's all that is available, what do you do? How do you like your ROBB by the way?

 

[EverythingAttachments]

It looks stout enough, but what's the float function suppose to do? It seems to me that the front blade is cutting, and the rear blade is smoothing in its fixed position.

Ted plans to make a short video explaining the pros and cons of a floating tailgate when he gets the prototype built. The components are already cut out, so it should be pretty soon.
A good way of pinning the gate shut will be the best of both worlds, which we will get figured out.
Ted is feeling much better now after months of recovery from his back surgery and is ready to get back into video mode!!
Travis

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Ted plans to make a short video explaining the pros and cons of a floating tailgate when he gets the prototype built. The components are already cut out, so it should be pretty soon.
A good way of pinning the gate shut will be the best of both worlds, which we will get figured out.
Ted is feeling much better now after months of recovery from his back surgery and is ready to get back into video mode!!
Travis

:cool2:

 

[ovrszd]

I probably can't explain this very well but here goes.

For the locking device, I'd have two swinging, flatbar plates, one on each side. When they are flipped over backwards they hang loosely, straight down. When they are flipped over forwards they wedge against the back of the rear blade and can't drop straight down. When in the locked position the rear moldboard pushes back against the bars and is latched. No wrenches needed. Since you extended your side plates rearward past the rear moldboard you have an excellent place to mount these plates.

My LandPride uses a bolt on each side. I rarely latch it. If it was designed wrench free I would latch it more. But I rarely need it latched so no worries.

 

[jenkinsph]

I never latch my Gannon, no need to do it for any box blade work I can think of. I do prefer the floating tailgate it allows me to make a good sized cut when needed.

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

Pappy, Ted would like to see a picture of the locking mechanism on the tailgate of your box blade.

The SR series was shipped to dealers with bolts on either side to hold the tailgate closed in transit, but they were meant to be removed by the dealer before retailing.
Back when he was a Woods dealer, Ted learned this the hard way because a customer bent 3 box blades because the pins weren't removed.

For smoothing, those attachment points would probably be fine, but we want a bulletproof design to secure the tailgate for harsh applications.
The locking point should be easily installed/removed without tools for easy use.
Ted wants to be able to lock our tailgate, he has 10+ ideas in mind, but none of them totally meet his criteria.

Any ideas out there?

Travis, I don't have any close-ups of the mechanisms, but I'll get some this weekend when I'm at my property. It uses a pin on each side. As you can see in the photos, it was well used when I got it, and I've used it a lot too, and there's no damage.

Here are a couple of pics of mine. You can just sorta see the two pieces of metal bar that line up and the pin drops in the hole in each metal bar. It is unpinned in these photos. I'll get some close-ups this weekend.

And here is the model info on mine:

 

[DT86]

Sorry if I missed this, will there be a 96" model?

I am looking to replace my Bushhog branded Dirtdog MBX96 very soon.